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"As for the proofs," said he, softly, never looking at Marc, but keeping his eyes on my face, "Monsieur deRamezay shall judge whether they be proofs or not.. "Yes," said I, "and now they

Forge in the Forest, by Charles G D Roberts

Project Gutenberg's The Forge in the Forest, by Charles G D Roberts This eBook is for the use of anyoneanywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever You may copy it, give it away or re-use itunder the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.netTitle: The Forge in the Forest

Author: Charles G D Roberts

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[Frontispiece: On a block just inside the door sat Marc.]

The Forge in the Forest

Being

The Narrative of the Acadian Ranger, Jean de Mer, Seigneur de Briart; and how he crossed the Black Abbé; and of his Adventures in a Strange Fellowship

By

Charles G D Roberts

Lamson, Wolffe and Company

Boston, New York and London

William Briggs, Toronto

MDCCCXCVI

Copyright, 1896,

By Lamson, Wolffe and Company

All rights reserved

Norwood Press

J S Cushing & Co. Berwick & Smith

Norwood Mass U.S.A

To

George E Fenety, Esq

This Story of a Province among whose Honoured Sons he is not least distinguished is dedicated with esteemand affection

[Illustration: Map of Peninsula of Acadie (Nova Scotia)]

XII In a Strange Fellowship XIII My Comrade XIV My Comrade Shoots Excellently Well XV Grûl's Hour

XVI I Cool My Adversaries' Courage XVII A Night in the Deep XVIII The Osprey, of Plymouth XIX The

Camp by Canseau Strait XX The Fellowship Dissolved XXI The Fight at Grand Pré XXII The Black AbbéStrikes in the Dark XXIII The Rendezvous at the Forge

well-conditioned folk inhabit it But behind this countenance of gladness and peace broods the memory of avanished people These massive dykes, whereon twice daily the huge tide beats in vain, were built by handsnot suffered to possess the fruits of their labour These comfortable fields have been scorched with the ruin ofburning homes, drenched with the tears of women hurried into exile These orchard lanes, appropriate to thelaughter of children or the silences of lovers, have rung with battle and run deep with blood Though the racewhose bane he was has gone, still stalks the sinister shadow of the Black Abbé

The low ridge running between the dykelands of the Habitants and the dyke-lands of the Canard still carriespatches of forest interspersed among its farms, for its soil is sandy and not greatly to be coveted for tillage.These patches are but meagre second growth, with here and there a gnarled birch or overpeering pine, lonelysurvivor of the primeval brotherhood The undergrowth has long smoothed out all traces of what a curious eyemight fifty years ago have discerned, the foundations of the chimney of a blacksmith's forge It is a mouldwell steeped in fateful devisings, this which lies forgotten under the creeping roots of juniper and

ragged-robin, between the diminished stream of Canard and the yellow tide of Habitants

The forest then was a wide-spreading solemnity of shade wherein armies might have moved unseen Theforge stood where the trail from Pereau ran into the more travelled road from the Canard to Grand Pré Thebranches of the ancient wood came down all about its low eaves; and the squirrels and blue jays chattered onits roof It was a place for the gathering of restless spirits, the men of Acadie who hated to accept the flag ofthe English king It was the Acadian headquarters of the noted ranger, Jean de Mer, who was still called bycourtesy, and by the grace of such of his people as adhered to his altered fortunes, the Seigneur de Briart Hisfather had been lord of the whole region between Blomidon and Grand Pré; but the English occupation haddeprived him of all open and formal lordship, for the de Briart sword was notably conspicuous on the side ofNew France Nevertheless, many of Jean de Mer's habitants maintained to him a chivalrous allegiance, andpaid him rents for lands which in the English eye were freehold properties He cherished his hold upon thesefaithful folk, willing by all honest means to keep their hearts to France His one son, Marc, grew up at Grand

Pré, save for the three years of his studying at Quebec His faithful retainer, Babin, wielding a smith's hammer

at the Forge, had ears of wisdom and a tongue of discretion for the men who came and went Once or twice inthe year, it was de Mer's custom to visit the Grand Pré country, where he would set his hand to the work of theforge after Babin's fashion, playing his part to the befooling of English eyes, and taking, in truth, a quaintpride in his pretended craft At the time, however, when this narrative opens, he had been a whole three yearsabsent from the Acadian land, and his home-coming was yet but three days old

Chapter I

The Capture at the Forge

It was good to be alive that afternoon A speckled patch of sunshine, having pushed its way through thebranches across the road, lay spread out on the dusty floor of the forge On a block just inside the door satMarc, his lean, dark face, the Belleisle face, made more hawklike by the blood of his Penobscot

grandmother, all aglow with eagerness The lazy youngster was not shamed at the sight of my diligence, buttalked right on, with a volubility which would have much displeased his Penobscot grandmother It waspleasant to be back with the lad again, and I was aweary of the war, which of late had kept my feet forever onthe move from Louisbourg to the Richelieu My fire gave a cheerful roar as I heaved upon the bellows, andturned my pike-point in the glowing charcoal As the roar sighed down into silence there was a merry whirr ofwings, and a covey of young partridges flashed across the road A contented mind and a full stomach do oftenmake a man a fool, or I should have made shift to inquire why the partridges had so sharply taken wing But Inever thought of it I turned, and let the iron grow cool, and leaned with one foot on the anvil, to hear the boy'stalk My soul was indeed asleep, lulled by content, or I would surely have felt the gleam of the beady eyes thatwatched me through a chink in the logs beside the chimney But I felt those eyes no more than if I had been alog myself

"Yes, Father," said Marc, pausing in rich contemplation of the picture in his mind's eye, "you would like herhair! It is unmistakably red, a chestnut red But her sister's is redder still!"

I smiled at his knowledge of my little weakness for hair of that colour; but not of a woman's hair was I

thinking at that moment, or I should surely have made some question about the sister My mind ran off uponanother trail

"And what do the English think they're going to do when de Ramezay comes down upon them?" I inquired

"Do they flatter themselves their tumble-down Annapolis is strong enough to hold us off?"

The lad flushed resentfully and straightened himself up on his seat

"Do you suppose, Father, that I was in the fort, and hobnobbing with the Governor?" he asked coldly "I spokewith none of the English save Prudence and her sister, and the child."

"But why not?" said I, unwilling to acknowledge that I had said anything at which he might take offence

"Every one knows your good disposition toward the English, and I should suppose you were in favour atAnnapolis The Governor, I know, makes much of all our people who favour the English cause."

Marc stood up, lean, and fine, and a good half head taller than his father, and looked at me with eyes ofpuzzled wrath

"And you think that I, knowing all I do of de Ramezay's plans, would talk to the English about them!" heexclaimed in a voice of keen reproach

Now, I understood his anger well enough, and in my heart rejoiced at it; for though I knew his honour wouldendure no stain, I had nevertheless feared lest I should find his sympathies all English He was a lad with away of thinking much and thinking for himself, and even now, at twenty year, far more of a scholar than I hadever found time to be Therefore, I say, his indignation pleased me mightily Nevertheless I kept at him

"Chut!" said I, "all the world knows by now of de Ramezay's plans There had been no taint of treachery intalking of them!"

Marc sat down again, and the ghost of a smile flickered over his lean face Though free enough of his speechbetimes, he was for the most part as unsmiling as an Indian.

"I see you are mocking me, Father," he said presently, relighting his pipe "Indeed, you know very well I am

on your side, for weal or ill As long as there was a chance of the English being left in peaceable possession ofAcadie, I urged that we should accept their rule fully and in good faith No one can say they haven't ruled usgently and generously And I feel right sure they will continue to rule us, for the odds are on their side in thegame they play with France But seeing that the game has yet to be played out, there is only one side for me,and I believe it to be the losing one Though as a boy I liked them well enough, I have nothing more to dowith the English now except to fight them How could I have another flag than yours?"

"You are my own true lad, whatever our difference of opinion!" said I And if my voice trembled in a mannerthat might show a softness unsuited to a veteran of my training, bear in mind that, till within the past threedays, I had not seen the lad for three years, and then but briefly At Grand Pré, and in Quebec at school, Marchad grown up outside my roving life, and I was just opening my eyes to find a comrade in this tall son of myboyhood's love His mother, a daughter of old Baron St Castin by his Penobscot wife, had died while he wasyet at the breast A babe plays but a small part in the life of a ranging bush-fighter, though I had ever a greattenderness for the little lad Now, however, I was looking upon him with new eyes

Having blown the coals again into a heat, I returned to Marc's words, certain of which had somewhat stuck in

my crop

"But you speak with despondence, lad, of the chances of the war, and of the hope of Acadie! By St Joseph,we'll drive the English all the way back of the Penobscot before you're a twelvemonth older And Acadie willsee the Flag of the Lilies flapping once more over the ramparts of Port Royal."

Marc shook his head slowly, and seemed to be following with his eyes the vague pattern of the shadows onthe floor

"It seems to me," said he, with a conviction which caught sharply at my heart even though I bore in mind hisyouth and inexperience, "that rather will the Flag of the Lilies be cast down even from the strong walls ofQuebec But may that day be far off! As for our people here in Acadie, during the last twelvemonth it hasbeen made very clear to me that evil days are ahead The Black Abbé is preparing many sorrows for us here inAcadie."

"I suppose you mean La Garne!" said I "He's a diligent servant to France; but I hate a bad priest He's adangerous man to cross, Marc! Don't go out of your way to make an enemy of the Black Abbé!"

Again that ghost of a smile glimmered on Marc's lips

"I fear you speak too late, Father!" said he, quietly "The reverend Abbé has already marked me He so farhonours me as to think that I am an obstacle in his path There be some whose eyes I have opened to hisvillany, so that he has lost much credit in certain of the parishes I doubt not that he will contrive some shrewdstroke for vengeance."

My face fell somewhat, for I am not ashamed to confess that I fear a bad priest, the more so in that I yield tonone in my reverence for a good one I turned my iron sharply in the coals, and then exclaimed:

"Oh, well, we need not greatly trouble ourselves There are others, methinks, as strong as the Black Abbé, evilthough he be!" But I spoke, as I have often found it expedient to do, with more confidence than I felt

Even at this moment, shrill and clear from the leafage at one end of the forge, came the call of the big

yellow-winged woodpecker I pricked up my ears and stiffened my muscles, expectant of I knew not what.Marc looked at me with some surprise.

"It's only a woodpecker!" said he

"But it's only in the spring," I protested, "that he has a cry like that!"

"He cries untimely, as an omen of the ills to come!" said Marc, half meaning it and half in jest

Had it been anywhere on the perilous frontier, on the Richelieu or in the West, or nigh the bloody

Massachusetts line, my suspicions would have sprung up wide awake But in this quiet land between theHabitants and the Canard I was off my guard, and what a relief it was, indeed, to let myself be careless for alittle! I thought no more of the woodpecker, but remembered that sister with the red hair I came back to her

by indirection, however

"And how did you manage, lad, to be seeing Mistress Prudence, and her sister, and the child, and yet no others

of the English? A matter of dark nights and back windows? Eh? But come to think of it, there was a clearmoon this day four weeks back, when you were at Annapolis."

"No, Father," answered Marc, "it was all much more simple and less adventurous than that Some short wayout of the town is a little river, the Equille, and a pleasant hidden glade set high upon its bank It is a favouredresort of both the ladies; and there I met them as often as I was permitted Mizpah would sometimes choose toplay apart with the child, down by the water's edge if the tide were full, so I had some gracious opportunitywith Prudence. My time being brief, I made the most of it!" he added drily His quaint directness amused memightily, and I chuckled as I shaped the red iron upon the anvil

"And who," I inquired, "is this kind sister, with the even redder hair, who goes away with such a timelydiscretion?"

"Oh, yes," said Marc, "I forgot you knew nothing of her She is Mistress Mizpah Hanford, the widow of aCaptain Hanford who was some far connection of the Governor's Her property is in and about Annapolis, andshe lives there to manage it, keeping Prudence with her for companionship Her child is four or five years old,

a yellow-haired, rosy boy called Philip She's very tall, a head taller than Prudence, and older, of course, byperhaps eight years; and very fair, though not so fair as Prudence; and altogether "

But at this point I interrupted him

"What's the matter with the Indian?" I exclaimed, staring out across Marc's shoulders

He sprang to his feet and looked around sharply An Indian, carrying three shad strung upon a sapling, hadjust appeared on the road before the forge door As he came in view he was reeling heavily, and clutching athis head He dropped his fish; and a moment later he himself fell headlong, and lay face downward in themiddle of the road I remember thinking that his legs sprawled childishly Marc strolled over to him with slowindifference

"Have a care!" I exclaimed "There may be some trap in it! It looks not natural!"

"What trap can there be?" asked Marc, turning the body over "It's Red Moose, a Shubenacadie Micmac I likenot the breed; but ever since he got a hurt on the head, in a fight at Canseau last year, he has been subject tothe falling sickness Let us carry him to a shady place, and he'll come to himself presently!"

I was at his side in a moment, and we stooped to lift the seemingly lifeless figure In an instant its arms wereabout my neck in a strangling embrace At the same time my own arms were seized I heard a fierce cry fromMarc, and a groan that was not his The next moment, though I writhed and struggled with all my strength, Ifound myself bound hand and foot, and seated on the ground with my back against the door-post of the forge.Marc, bound like myself, lay by the roadside; and a painted savage sat near him nursing with both hands abroken jaw A dozen Micmacs stood about us Leaning against the door-post over against me was the

black-robed form of La Garne He eyed me, for perhaps ten seconds, with a smile of fine and penetratingsarcasm Then he told his followers to stand Marc up against a tree

Chapter II

The Black Abbé

When first I saw that smile on the Black Abbé's face, and realized what had befallen us, I came nigh to

bursting with rage, and was on the point of telling my captor some truths to make his ears tingle But when Iheard the order to stand Marc up against a tree my veins for an instant turned to ice Many men and somewomen, too, God help me, I then being bound and gagged, had I seen thus stood up against a tree, and neverbut for one end I could not believe that such an end was contemplated now, and that by a priest of the

Church, however unworthy of his office! But I checked my tongue and spoke the Abbé fair

"It is quite plain to me, Monsieur," said I, quietly, "that my son and I are the victims of some serious mistake,for which you will, I am sure, feel constrained to ask our pardon presently I await your explanations."

La Garne, still smiling, looked me over slowly Never before had I seen him face to face, though he had morethan once traversed my line of vision I had known the tireless figure, as tall, almost, as Marc himself,

stoop-shouldered, but robust, now moving swiftly as if propelled by an energy irresistible, now languid with

an affectation of indolence But the face I hated the possessor of it with a personal hate the moment my eyesfell upon that face Strong and inflexible was the gaunt, broad, and thin jaw, cruel and cunning the high,pinched forehead and narrow-set, palely glinting eyes The nose, in particular, greatly offended me, being verylong, and thick at the end "I'll tweak it for him, one fine day," says I to myself, as I boiled under his steadysmile

"There is no mistake, Monsieur de Briart, believe me!" he said, still smiling

There could be no more fair words, of course, after that avowal

"Then, Sir Priest," said I, coldly, "you are both a madman and a scurvy rogue, and you shall yet be on yourknees to me for this outrage You will see then the nature of your mistake, I give you my word."

The priest's smile took on something of the complexion of a snarl

"Don't be alarmed, Monsieur de Briart," said he "You are quite safe, because I know you for a good servant

to France; and for your late disrespect to Holy Church, in my person, while in talk with your pestilent son,these bonds may be a wholesome and sufficient lesson to you!"

"You shall have a lesson sufficient rather than wholesome, I promise you!" said I

"But as for this fellow," went on the Abbé, without noticing my interruption, "he is a spy You understandhow spies fare, Monsieur!" And a malignant light made his eyes appear like two points of steel beneath theambush of his ragged brows

I saw Marc's lean face flush thickly under the gross accusation

"It is a lie, you frocked hound!" he cried, careless of the instant peril in which he stood

But the Black Abbé never looked at him

"I wish you joy of your son, a very good Englishman, Monsieur, and now, I fear, not long for this world," said

he, in a tone of high civility "He has long been fouling with his slanders the names of those whom he shouldreverence, and persuading the people to the English But now, after patiently waiting, I have proofs Histreachery shall hang him!"

For a moment the dear lad's peril froze my senses, so that it was but dimly I heard his voice, ringing withindignation as he hurled back the charge upon the lying lips that made it.

"If the home of lies be anywhere out of Hell, it is in your malignant mouth, you shame of the Church," hecried in defiance "There can be no proof that I am a spy, even as there can be no proof that you are other than

a false-tongued assassin, defiling your sacred office."

It was the galling defiance of a savage warrior at the stake, and even in my fear my heart felt proud of it Thepriest was not galled, however, by these penetrating insults

"As for the proofs," said he, softly, never looking at Marc, but keeping his eyes on my face, "Monsieur deRamezay shall judge whether they be proofs or not If he say they are not, I am content."

At a sign, a mere turn of his head it seemed to me, the Indians loosed Marc's feet to lead him away

"Farewell, Father," said he, in a firm voice, and turned upon me a look of unshakable courage

"Be of good heart, son," I cried to him "I will be there, and this devil shall be balked!"

"You, Monsieur," said the priest, still smiling, "will remain here for the present To-night I will send a villager

to loose your bonds Then, by all means, come over and see Monsieur de Ramezay at Chignecto I may not bethere then myself, but this business of the spy will have been settled, for the commander does not waste time

in such small matters!"

He turned away to follow his painted band, and I, shaking in my impotent rage and fear, called after

him: "As God lives and is my witness, if the lad comes to any harm, these hands will visit it upon you an

hundredfold, till you scream for death's mercy!"

But the Black Abbé moved off as if he heard no word, and left me a twisted heap upon the turf, gnawingfiercely at the tough deer-hide of my bonds

Chapter III

Tamin's Little Stratagem

I had been gnawing, gnawing in an anguish at the thongs, for perhaps five minutes There had been no morethan time for the Abbé's wolf-pack to vanish by a turn of the road Suddenly a keen blade slit the thongs thatbound my wrists Then my feet felt themselves free I sat up, astonished, and saw stooping over me the droll,broad face of Tamin the Fisher, or Tamin Violet, as he was rightly, though seldom, called His mouth wassolemn, as always, having never been known to wear a smile; but the little wrinkles laughed about his smallbright eyes I sprang up and grasped his hand

"We must not lose a moment, Tamin, my friend!" I panted, dragging him into the thick shade of the wood

"I was thinking you might be in a hurry, M'sieu," said my rescuer "But unless the mouse wants to be back inthe same trap I've just let it out of, you'd better keep still a half-minute and make up your mind They've around road to go, and we'll go straight!"

"You saw it all?" I asked, curbing myself as best I could, for I perceived the wisdom of his counsel

"Oh, ay, M'sieu, I saw it!" replied the Fisher "And I laughed in my bones to hear the lad talk up to the goodfather There was more than one shot went home, I warrant, for all the Black Abbé seemed so deaf They'refestering under his soutane even now, belike!"

"But come!" said I "I've got my wind!" And we darted noiselessly through the cool of the great trees, turning

a little east from the road

We ran silently for a space, my companion's short but massive frame leaping, bending, gliding even as lightly

as my own, which was ever as lithe as a weasel's Tamin was a rare woodsman, as I marked straightway,though I had known him of old rather as a faithful tenant, and marvellously patient to sit in his boat all daya-fishing on the drift of the Minas tides

Presently he spoke, under his breath

"Very like," said he, drily, "when we come up to them they will all fall down So, we will take the lad andwalk away! eh, what, M'sieu?"

"Only let us come up to them," said I, "and learn their plans Then we will make ours!"

"Something of theirs I know," said Tamin "Their canoes are on the Canard maybe three furlongs to east of theroad Thence they will carry the lad to de Ramezay, for the Black Abbé will have things in due form when hecan conveniently, and now it is plain he has a scheme well ripe But if this wind holds, we'll be there beforethem My boat is lying hard by."

"God be praised!" I muttered; for in truth I saw some light now for the first time Presently, drawing near theroad again, I heard the voice of La Garne We at once went softly, and, avoiding again, made direct for wherelay the canoes There we disposed ourselves in a swampy thicket, with a little breadth of water lying beforeand all the forest behind The canoes lay just across the little water, and so close that I might have tossed mycap into them The clean smell of the wet salt sedge came freshly into the thicket The shadows lay long onthe water We had time to grow quiet, till our breathing was no longer hasty, our blood no longer thumped inour ears A flock of sand-pipers, with thin cries, settled to feed on the red clay between the canoes and theedge of the tide Suddenly they got up, and puffed away in a flicker of white breasts and brown wings; and Ilaid a hand on Tamin's shoulder The painted band, Marc in their midst, La Garne in front, were coming down

the slope.

The lad's face was stern and scornful To my joy I saw that there was to be no immediate departure Theredskins flung themselves down indolently The Black Abbé saw his prisoner made fast to a tree, and then,telling his followers that he had duties at Pereau which would keep him till past sunset, strode off swiftly upthe trail Tamin and I, creeping as silently as snakes back into the forest, followed him

For half an hour we followed him, keeping pace for pace through the shadow of the wood Then said I softly

to

Tamin: "This is my quarrel, my friend! Do you keep back, and not bring down his vengeance on your head."

"That for his vengeance!" whispered Tamin, with a derisive gesture "I will take service with de Ramezay, as

a regular soldier of France!"

"Even there," said I, "his arm might reach and pluck you forth Keep back now, and let him not see yourface!"

"Priest though he be, M'sieu," urged Tamin, anxiously, "he is a mighty man of his hands!"

I turned upon him a face of scorn which he found sufficient answer Then, signing to him to hold off, I spedforward silently No weapon had I but a light stick of green ash, just cut There was smooth, mossy groundalong the trail, and my running feet made no more sound than a cat's I was within a pace of springing uponhis neck, when he must have felt my coming He turned like a flash, uttered a piercing signal cry, and whippedout a dagger

"They'll never hear it," mocked I, and sent the dagger spinning with a smart pass of my stick The same strokewent nigh to breaking his wrist He grappled bravely, however, as I took him by the throat, and I was

astonished at his force and suppleness Nevertheless the struggle was but brief, and the result a matter to besworn to beforehand; for I, though not of great stature, am stronger than any other man, big or little, withwhom I have ever come to trial; and more than that, when I was a prisoner among the English, I learned theirshrewd fashion of wrestling In a little space the Black Abbé lay choked into submission, after which I boundhim in a way to endure, and seated him against a tree Behind him I caught view of Tamin, gesturing drolly,whereat I laughed till I marked an amazement growing in the priest's malignant eyes

"How like you my lesson, good Father?" I inquired

But he only glared upon me I suppose, having no speech that would fitly express his feelings, he conceivedthat his silence would be most eloquent But I could see that my next move startled him With my knife I cut apiece from my shirt, and made therewith a neat gag

"Though you seem so dumb at this present," said I, "I suspect that you might find a tongue after my departure.Therefore I must beseech you to wear this ornament, for my sake, for a little." And very civilly prying histeeth open, I adjusted the gag

"Do not be afraid!" I continued "I will leave you in this discomfort no longer than you thought it necessary toleave me so You shall be free after to-morrow's sunrise, if not before Farewell, good Father, and may yourest well! Let me borrow this ring as a pledge for the safe return of the fragment of my good shirt which youhold so obstinately between your teeth!" And drawing his ring from his finger I turned away and plunged intothe forest, where Tamin presently joined me

Tamin chuckled, deep in his stomach

"My turn now!" said he "Give me the ring, M'sieu, and I'll give you the boy!"

"I see you take me!" said I, highly pleased at his quick discernment

We now made way at leisure back to the canoes, and our plans ripened as we went

Before we came within hearing of the Indians I gave over the ring with final directions, to Tamin, and thenhastened toward the point of land which runs far out beyond the mouth of the Habitants Around this point, as

I knew, lay the little creek-mouth wherein Tamin kept his boat Beyond the point, perchance a furlong, was anarrow sand-spit covered deep at every flood tide In a thicket of fir bushes on the bluff over against thissand-spit I lay down to wait for what Tamin should bring to pass I had some little time to wait; and here let

me unfold, as I learned it after, what Tamin did whilst I waited

About sunset, the tide being far out, and the Indians beginning to expect their Abbé's return, came Tamin tothem running in haste along the trail from Pereau, as one who carried orders of importance Going straight tothe chief, he pointed derisively at Marc, whose back was towards him, and cried:

"The good father commands that you take this dog of a spy straightway to the sand-spit that lies off the pointyonder There you will drive a strong stake into the sand, and bind the fellow to it, and leave him there, andreturn here to await the Abbé's coming You shall do no hurt to the spy, and set no mark upon him When thetide next ebbs you will go again to the sand-spit and bring his body back; and if the Abbé finds any mark uponhim, you will get no pay for this venture You will make your camp here to-night, and if the good father benot returned to you by sunrise to-morrow, you will go to meet him along the Pereau trail, for he will be inneed of you."

The tall chief grunted, and eyed him doubtfully After a brief contemplation he inquired, in broken

French: "How know you no lie to me?"

"Here is the holy father's ring, in warranty; and you shall give it back to him when he comes."

"It is well," said the chief, taking the ring, and turning to give some commands in his own guttural tongue.Tamin repeated his message word by word, then strode away; and before he got out of sight he saw twocanoes put off for the sand-spit Then he made all haste to join me on the point

Long before he arrived the canoes had come stealing around the point and were drawn up on the treacherousisle of sand My heart bled for the horror of death which, as I knew, must now be clutching at Marc's soul; but

I kept telling myself how soon I would make him glad It wanted yet three hours or more till the tide shouldcover the sand-spit I lay very still among the young fir trees, so that a wood-mouse ran within an arm's length

of my face, till it caught the moving of my eyes and scurried off with a frightened squeak I heard the lowchange in the note of the tide as the first of the flood began to creep in upon the weeds and pebbles Then withsome farewell taunts, to which Marc answered not a word, the savages went again to their canoes and paddledoff swiftly

[Illustration: Marc tied to post]

When they had become but specks on the dim water, I doffed my clothes, took my knife between my teeth,and swam across to the sand-spit There was a low moon, obscured by thin and slowly drifting clouds, and as Iswam through the faint trail of it, Marc must have seen me coming Nevertheless he gave no sign, and I couldsee that his head drooped forward upon his breast An awful fear came down upon me, and for a second ortwo I was like to sink, so numb I turned at the thought that perchance the savages had put the knife to himbefore quitting I recovered, however, as I called to mind the orders which Tamin had rehearsed to me ere

starting on his venture; for I knew how sorely the Black Abbé was feared by his savage flock What theydeemed him to have commanded, that would they do.

Drawing closer now, I felt the ground beneath my feet

"Marc," I called softly, "I'm coming, lad!"

The drooped head was lifted

"Father!" he exclaimed And there was something like a sob in that cry of joy It caught my heart strangely,telling me he was still a boy for all he had borne himself so manfully in the face of sudden and appalling peril.Now the long tension was loosed He was alone with me As I sprang to him and cut the thongs that held him,one arm went about my neck and I was held very close for the space of some few heart-beats Then he fetched

a deep breath, stretched his cramped limbs this way and that, and said simply, "I knew you would come,Father! I knew you would find a way!"

Chapter IV

The Governor's Signature

The clouds slipped clear of the moon's face, and we three Marc, I, and the stake cast sudden long blackshadows which led all the way down to the edge of the increeping tide I looked at the shadows, and a shudderpassed through me as if a cold hand had been laid upon my back Marc stood off a little, never have I seensuch quick control, such composure, in one so inexperienced, and remarked to me:

"What a figure of a man you are, Father, to be sure!"

I fell into his pretence of lightness at once, a high relief after the long and deadly strain; and I laughed withsome pleasure at the praise In very truth, I cherished a secret pride in my body

"'Tis well enough, no doubt, in a dim light," said I, "though by now surely somewhat battered!"

Marc was already taking off his clothes As he knotted them into a convenient bundle, there came from thewoods, a little way back of the point, the hollow "Too-hoo-hoo-whoo-oo!" of the small gray owl

"There's Tamin!" said I, and was on the point of answering in like fashion, when the cry was reiterated twice

"That means danger, and much need of haste for us," I growled Together we ran down into the tide, strikingout with long strokes for the fine white line that seethed softly along the dark base of the point I commendedthe lad mightily for his swimming, as we scrambled upon the beach and slipped swiftly into our clothes.Though carrying his bundle on his head, he had given me all I could do to keep abreast of him

We climbed the bluff, and ran through the wet, keen-scented bushes toward the creek where lay the boat Ere

we had gone half-way Tamin met us, breathless

"What danger?" I asked

"I think they're coming back to tuck the lad in for the night, and see that he's comfortable!" replied Tamin,panting heavily "I heard paddles when they should have been long out of earshot."

"Something has put them in doubt!" said Marc

"Sure," said I, "and not strange, if one but think of it!"

"Yet I told them a fair tale," panted Tamin, as he went on swiftly toward his boat

The boat lay yet some yards above the edge of tide, having been run aground near high water The three of uswere not long in dragging her down and getting her afloat Then came the question that was uppermost

"Which way?" asked Tamin, laconically, taking the tiller, while Marc stood by to hoist the dark and

well-patched sail

I considered the wind for some moments

"For Chignecto!" said I, with emphasis "We must see de Ramezay and settle this hound La Garne OtherwiseMarc stands in hourly peril."

As the broad sail drew, and the good boat, leaning well over, gathered way, and the small waves swished andgurgled merrily under her quarter, I could hardly withhold from laughing for sheer gladness Marc was

already smoking with great composure beside the mast, his lean face thoughtful, but untroubled He looked, Ithought, almost as old as his war-battered sire who now watched him with so proud an eye Presently I heardTamin fetch a succession of mighty breaths, as he emptied and filled the ample bellows of his lungs Hesnatched the green and yellow cap of knitted wool from his head, and let the wind cool the sweating blacktangle that coarsely thatched his broad skull

"Hein!" he exclaimed, with a droll glance at Marc, "that's better than that!" And he made an expressive

gesture as of setting a knife to his scalp To me this seemed much out of place and time; but Tamin was everprivileged in the eyes of a de Mer, so I grumbled not As for Marc, that phantom of a smile, which I hadalready learned to watch for, just touched his lips, as he remarked calmly:

"Vraiment, much better That, as you call it, my Tamin, came so near to-night that my scalp needs no coolingsince!"

"But whither steering?" I inquired; for the boat was speeding south-eastward, straight toward Grand Pré

Tamin's face told plainly that he had his reasons, and I doubted not that they were good For some momentsthat wide, grave mouth opened not to make reply, while the little, twinkling, contradictory eyes were fixedintently on some far-off landmark, to me invisible This point being made apparently to his satisfaction, herelaxed and explained

"You see, M'sieu," said he, "we must get under the loom o' the shore, so's we'll be out of sight when thecanoes come round the point If they see a sail, at this time o' night, they'll suspicion the whole thing and beafter us Better let 'em amuse themselves for a spell hunting for the lad on dry land, so's we won't be rushed.Been enough rush!"

"Yes! Yes!" assented I, scanning eagerly the point behind us And Marc

said: "Very great is your sagacity, my Tamin The Black Abbé fooled himself when he forgot to take you into hisreckoning!"

At this speech the little wrinkles gathered thicker about Tamin's eyes At length, deeming us to have gone farenough to catch the loom of the land, as it lay for one watching from the sand-spit, Tamin altered our course,and we ran up the basin Just then we marked two canoes rounding the point They were plainly visible to us,and I made sure we should be seen at once; but a glance at Tamin's face reassured me The Fisher understood,

as few even among old woodsmen understand it, the lay of the shadow-belts on a wide water at night

Noiselessly we lowered our sail and lay drifting, solicitous to mark what the savages might do The sand-spitwas by this so small that from where we lay it was not to be discerned; but we observed the Indians run theircanoes upon it, disembark, and stoop to examine the footprints in the sand In a moment or two they embarkedagain, and paddled straight to the point

"Shrewd enough!" said Marc

"Yes," said I, "and now they'll track us straight to Tamin's creek, and understand that we've taken the boat.But they won't know what direction we've taken!"

"No, M'sieu," muttered Tamin, "but no use loafing round here till they find out!"

Which being undoubted wisdom of Tamin's, we again hoisted sail and continued our voyage

Having run some miles up the Basin, we altered our course and stood straight across for the northern shore.

We now felt secure from pursuit, holding it highly improbable that the savages would guess our purpose anddestination As we sat contenting our eyes with the great bellying of the sail, and the fine flurries of spray thatever and again flashed up from our speeding prow, and the silver-blue creaming of our wake, Marc gave us asurprise Thrusting his hand into the bosom of his shirt he drew out a packet and handed it to me

"Here, perhaps, are the proofs on which the gentle Abbé relied!" said he

Taking the packet mechanically, I stared at the lad in astonishment But there was no information to be

gathered from that inscrutable countenance, so I presently recollected myself, and unfolded the papers Therewere two of them The moon was partly clear at the moment, and I made out the first to be an order, written inEnglish, on one Master Nathaniel Apthorp, merchant, of Boston, directing him to pay Master Marc de Mer, ofGrand Pré in Nova Scotia, the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds It was signed "Paul Mascarene, Gov^r ofNova Scotia." The other paper was written in finer and more hasty characters, and I could not decipher it inthe uncertain light But the signature was the same as that appended to the order on Mr Apthorp

"I cannot decipher this one, in this bad light," said I; "but what does it all mean, Marc? How comes the

English Governor to be owing you two hundred and fifty pounds?"

"Does he owe me two hundred and fifty pounds? That's surely news of interest!" said Marc

I looked at him, amazed

"Do you mean to say that you don't know what is in these papers?" I inquired, handing them back

"How should I know that?" said Marc, with a calmness which was not a little irritating "They were placed in

my pocket by the good Abbé; and since then my opportunities of reading have been but scant!"

Tamin ejaculated a huge grunt of indignant comprehension; and I, beholding all at once the whole wickeddevice, threw up my hands and fell to whistling an idle air It seemed to me a case for which curses wouldseem but tame and pale

"This other, then," said I, presently, "must be a letter that would seem to have been written to you by theGovernor, and worded in such a fashion as to compromise you plainly!"

"'Tis altogether probable, Father," replied Marc, musingly, as he scanned the page He was trying to prove hisown eyesight better than mine, but found the enterprise beyond him, as I knew he would

"I can make out nothing of this other, save the signature," he continued "We must even wait for daylight And

in the meanwhile I think you had better keep the packet, Father, for I feel my wits and my experience

something lacking in this snarl."

I took the papers and hid them in a deep pocket which I wore within the bosom of my shirt

"The trap was well set, and deadly, lad," said I, highly pleased at his confidence in my wisdom to conduct theaffair "But trust me to spring it Whatever this other paper may contain, de Ramezay shall see them both andunderstand the whole plot."

"'Twill be hard to explain away," said Marc, doubtfully, "if it be forged with any fair degree of skill!"

"Trust my credit with de Ramezay for that It is something the Black Abbé has not reckoned upon!" said I,with assurance, stuffing my pipe contentedly with the right Virginia leaf Marc, being well tired with all that

he had undergone that day, laid his head on the cuddy and was presently sound asleep In a low voice, not todisturb the slumberer, I talked with Tamin, and learned how he had chanced to come so pat upon me in mybonds He had been on the way up to the Forge, coming not by the trail, but straight through the forest, when

he caught a view of the Indians, and took alarm at the stealth of their approach He had tracked them with acunning beyond their own, and so achieved to outdo them with their own weapons

The moon now swam clear in the naked sky, the clouds lying far below By the broad light I could see verywell to read the letter It was but brief, and ran thus:

To my good Friend and trusted Helper Monsieur Marc de

Mer: DEAR SIR, As touching the affair which you have so prudently carried through, and my gratitude for your

so good help, permit the enclosed order on Master Apthorp to speak for me If I might hope that you wouldfind it in your heart and within your convenience to put me under yet weightier obligations, I would be sobold as to desire an exact account of the forces at Chignecto, and of the enterprize upon which Monsieur deRamezay is purposing to employ them

Believe me to be, my dear Sir, yours with high esteem and consideration,

"The fox has been known to file his tongue too smooth," said Tamin, sententiously

By this we were come over against the huge black front of Blomidon, but our course lay far outside theshadow of his frown, in the silvery run of the seas The moon floated high over the great Cape, yellow as gold,and the bare sky was like an unruffled lake Far behind us opened the mouth of the Piziquid stream, a brightgap in the dark but vague shore-line On our right the waters unrolled without obstruction till they mixedpallidly with the sky in the mouth of Cobequid Bay Five miles ahead rose the lofty shore which formed thenorthern wall of Minas Channel, grim and forbidding enough by day; but now, in such fashion did themoonlight fall along it, wearing a face of fairyland, and hinting of fountained palaces in its glens and highhollows After I had filled my heart with the fairness and the wonder of it, I lay down upon a thwart and fellasleep

Chapter V

In the Run of the Seas

It seemed as if I had but fairly got my eyes shut, when I was awakened by a violent pitching of the boat I sat

up, grasping the gunwale, and saw Marc just catching my knee to rouse me The boat, heeling far over, andhauled close to the wind, was heading a little up the channel and straight for a narrow inlet which I knew to bethe joint mouth of two small rivers

"Where are you going? Why is our course changed?" I asked sharply, being nettled by a sudden notion thatthey had made some change of plan without my counsel

"Look yonder, Father!" said Marc, pointing

I looked, and my heart shook with mingled wrath and apprehension Behind us followed three canoes, urged

on by sail and paddle

"They outsail us?" I inquired

"Ay, before the wind, they do, M'sieu!" said Tamin "On this tack, maybe not We'll soon see!"

"But what's this but a mere trap we are running our heads into?" I urged

"I fear there's nothing else but to quit the boat and make through the woods, Father," explained Marc; "that is,

if we're so fortunate as to keep ahead till we reach land."

"In the woods, I suppose, we can outwit them or outfoot them," said I; "but those Micmacs are untiring on thetrail."

"I know a good man with a good boat over by Shulie on the Fundy shore," interposed Tamin "And I know theway over the hills We'll cheat the rogue of a priest yet!" And he shrewdly measured the distance that parted

us from our pursuers

"It galls me to be running from these dogs!" I growled

"Our turn will come," said Marc, glowering darkly at the canoes "Do you guess the Black Abbé is withthem?"

"Not he!" grunted Tamin

"Things may happen this time," said I, "and the good father may wish to keep his soutane clear of them It's allplain enough to me now The Indians, finding themselves tricked, have gone back on the Pereau trail and mostinopportunely have released the gentle Abbé from his bonds He has seen through our game, and has sent his

pack to look to it that we never get to de Ramezay But he will have no hand in it Oh, no!"

"What's plain to me now," interrupted Tamin, with some anxiety in his voice, "is that they're gaining on usfast They've put down leeboards; an' with leeboards down a Micmac canoe's hard to beat."

"Oh!" I exclaimed bitterly, "if we had but our muskets! Fool that I was, thus to think to save time and not goback for our weapons! Trust me, lad, it's the first time that Jean de Mer has had that particular kind of folly torepent of!"

"But there was nought else for it, Father," said Marc "And if, as seems most possible, we come to closequarters presently, we are not so naked as we might be Here's your two pistols, my good whinger, and

Tamin's fishy dirk And Tamin's gaff here will make a pretty lance It is borne in upon me that some of thegood Abbé's lambs will bleat for their shepherd before this night's work be done!"

There was a steady light in his eyes that rejoiced me much, and his voice rose and fell as if fain to break into awar song; and I said to myself, "The boy is a fighter, and the fire is in his blood, for all his scholar's prating ofpeace!" Yet he straightway turned his back upon the enemy and with great indifference went to filling hispipe

"Ay, an' there be a right good gun in the cuddy!" grunted Tamin, after a second or two of silence

"The saints be praised!" said I And Marc's long arm reached in to capture it It was a huge weapon, and myheart beat high at sight of it Marc caressed it for an instant, then reluctantly passed it to me, with the

powder-horn

"I can shoot, a little, myself," said he, "but I would be presumptuous to boast when you were by, Father!"

"Ay, vraiment," said Tamin, sharply; "don't think you can shoot with the Sieur de Briart yet!"

"I don't," replied Marc, simply, as he handed me out a pouch of bullets and a pouch of slugs

The pursuing canoes were by this come within fair range There came a strident hail from the

foremost: "Lay to, or we shoot!"

"Shoot, dogs!" I shouted, ramming home the good measure of powder which I had poured into my hand Ifollowed it with a fair charge of slugs, and was wadding it loosely, when

"Duck!" cries Tamin, bobbing his head lower than the tiller

Neither Marc nor I moved a hair But we gazed at the canoes On the instant two red flames blazed out, with aredoubled bang; and one bullet went through the sail a little above my head

"Not bad!" said Marc, glancing tranquilly at the bullet hole

But for my own part, I was angry To be fired upon thus, at a priest's orders, by a pack of scurvy savages inthe pay of our own party, never before had Jean de Briart been put to such indignity I kneeled, and took avery cautious aim, not, however, at the savages, but at the bow of the nearest canoe

Tamin's big gun clapped like a cannon, and kicked my shoulder very vilely But the result of the shot was allthat we could desire As I made haste to load again I noticed that the savage in the bow had fallen backward inhis place, hit by a stray slug The bulk of the charge, however, had torn a great hole in the bark, close to thewater-line

[Illustration: Tamin's big gun clapped like a cannon, and kicked my shoulder very vilely.]

"You've done it, Father!" said Marc, in a tone of quiet exultation

"Hein!" grunted Tamin "They don't like the wet!"

The canoe was going down by the bow The other two craft ranged hurriedly alongside, and took in the

gesticulating crew, all but one, whom they left in the stern to paddle the damaged canoe to land, being loth tolose a serviceable craft With broken bow high in air the canoe spun around, and sped off up the Basin beforethe wind The remaining two resumed the chase of us We had gained a great space during the confusion, yetthey came up upon us fast.

But now, ere I judged them to be within gunshot, they slackened speed

"They think better of it!" said I, raising the gun again to my shoulder As I did so they sheered off in haste to asafer distance

"They are not such fools as I had hoped!" said Marc

"I so far flatter myself as to think," said I, with some complacency, "that they won't trust themselves willinglyagain within range of this good barker."

By this we were come well within the wide mouth of the estuary, and a steep, wooded point thrust out uponour right All at once I muttered a curse upon my dulness

"What fools we are, to be sure!" I cried "No reason that we should toil across the mountains to your goodman's good boat at Shulie, my Tamin Put her about, and we'll sail in comfort around to Chignecto; and letthese fellows come in range again at their peril!"

"To be sure, indeed!" grunted Tamin; and with a lurch and great flapping we went about

The canoes, indeed, now fled before us with excellent discretion Our new course carried us under the gloom

of the promontory, whence, in a few minutes, we shot out again into the moonlight It was pleasant to see ourantagonists making such courteous haste to give us room I could not forbear to chuckle over it, and wishedmightily that the Black Abbé were in one of the canoes

"I fear me there's to be no work for Tamin's fishy dirk or my good whinger," sighed Marc, with a nice air ofmelancholy; and Tamin, with the little wrinkles thicker than ever about his eyes, yelled droll taunts after ourlate pursuers In fact, we were all three in immense high feather, when on a sudden there came a crashingbump that tumbled us headlong, the mast went overboard, and there we were stuck fast upon a sharp rock Theboat was crushed in like an egg-shell, and lay over on her side The short, chopping seas huddled upon us in asmother As I rose up, sputtering, I took note of Tamin's woollen cap washing away debonairly, snatched off,belike, by a taut rope as the mast fell Then, clinging all three to the topmost gunwale, the waves jumping andsousing us derisively, we stared at each other in speechless dismay But a chorus of triumphant screeches fromthe canoes, as they noted our mishap and made to turn, brought us to our senses

"Nothing for it but to swim!" said I, thrusting down the now useless musket into the cuddy, where I hoped itmight stay in case the wrecked boat should drift ashore It was drenched, of course, and something too heavy

to swim with I emptied the slugs from my pocket Tamin ducked his head under water and fumbled in thecuddy till I was on the point of plucking him forth, fearing he would drown, Marc, meanwhile, looking ontranquilly and silently, with that fleeting remembrance of a smile But now Tamin arose, gasping, with a smallsack and a salted hake in his hands The fish he passed over to me

"Bread, M'sieu!" said he, holding up the drenched sack in triumph "Now for the woods!"

'Twas but the toss of a biscuit to shore, and we had gained it ere our enemies were come within gunshot.Running swiftly along the strip of beach that skirted the steep, we put the shoulder of the cape between, andwere safe from observation for a few minutes

"To the woods, M'sieu!" cried Tamin, in a suppressed voice.

"No!" said I, sternly "Straight along the beach, till I give the word to turn in! Follow me!"

"'Tis the one chance, to get out of sight now!" grumbled Tamin, running beside me, and clutching at his wetsack of bread

"Don't you suppose he knows what he is doing, my Tamin?" interrupted Marc "'Tis for you and me to obeyorders!"

Tamin growled, but said no more

"Now in with you to cover," I commanded, waving my salt fish as it had been a marshal's baton At the samemoment I turned, ran up the wet slope where a spring bubbled out of the wood's edge and spread itself overthe stones, and sprang behind a thick screen of viburnums My companions were beside me on the

instant, but it was not an instant too soon As we paused to look back, there were the canoes coming furiouslyaround the point

Staying not long to observe them, I led the way straight into the darkness of the woods, aiming for the

seashore at the other side of the point But Tamin was not satisfied

"Our road lies straight up yon river," said he

"My friend," said I, "we must e'en find another road to Shulie Those fellows will be sure to agree that wehave gone that way Knowing that I am a cunning woodsman, they will say, 'He will make them to run in thewater, and so leave no trail.' And they will give hot chase up the river."

"But there be two rivers," objected Tamin

"Bien," said I, "they will divide their party, and give hot chase up two rivers!"

"And in the meanwhile?" inquired Marc

"I'll find the way to Shulie," said I "The stars and the sun are guide enough! I know the main lay of all thesecoasts."

Chapter VI

Grûl

The undergrowth into which we had now come was thick and hindering, so there was no further chance ofspeech A few minutes more and we came out upon the seaward slope of the point We pushed straight down

to the water, here sheltered from the wind and little troubled That our footprints might be hidden, at least for

a time, we ran, one behind the other, along the lip of the tide, where the water was about ankle deep In thestillness our splashing sounded dangerously loud, and Tamin, yet in a grumbling humour, spoke of it

"But you forget, my friend," said I, gently, "that there is noise and to spare where our enemies are, acrossthere in the wind!"

In a moment Tamin spoke again, pointing some little way ahead

"The land drops away yonder, M'sieu, 'twixt the point and the main shore!" he growled, with conspicuousanxiety in his voice He was no trembler; but it fretted him to be taking what he deemed the weaker course

"Nothing," he added, "but a bit of bare beach that the waves go over at spring tides when the wind's down theBasin!"

I paused in some dismay But my mind was made up

"We must go on," said I "But we will stoop low, and lose no time in the passage They'll scarce be landedyet."

And now, as I came to see how low indeed that strip of perilous beach was, I somewhat misdoubted of success

in getting by unseen But we went a little deeper in the tide, and bowed our bodies with great humbleness, and

so passed over with painful effort but not a little speed Being come again under shelter, we straightenedourselves, well pleased, fetched a deep breath or two, and ran on with fresh celerity

"But if a redskin should think to step over the beach, there'd be our goose cooked!" muttered Tamin

"Well said!" I answered "Therefore let us strike inland at once!" And I led the way again into the darkness ofthe forest

Dark as it was, there was yet light enough from the moon to enable me to direct my course as I wished Istruck well west of the course which would have taken us most speedily to Shulie, being determined to avoidthe valley of the stream which I considered our pursuers were most likely to ascend To satisfy Tamin's doubts

I explained my purpose, which was to aim straight for Shulie as soon as we were over the water-shed And Imust do him the justice to say he was content, beginning now to come more graciously to my view We wentbut slowly, climbing, ever climbing At times we would be groping through a great blackness of hemlocks.Again the forest would be more open, a mingling of fir trees, and birches, and maples Coming at last to morelevel ground, we were still much hindered by innumerable rocks, amid which the underbrush and wild vinesprepared pitfalls for our weary feet But I was not yet willing to call a halt for breath On, on we stumbled, thewet branches buffeting our faces, but a cool and pleasant savour of the wild herbs which we trod upon everexhaling upwards to refresh our senses As we crossed a little grassy glade, I observed that Marc had come toTamin's help, and was carrying the sack of bread I observed, also, that Tamin's face was drawn with fatigue,and that he went with a kind of dogged heaviness I took pity upon him We had put, I guessed, good milesbetween ourselves and our pursuers, and I felt that we were, in all reason, safe for the time At the further limit

of the glade there chattered a shallow brook, whose sweet noise reminded me that I was parched with thirst.The pallor of first dawn was now coming into the sky, and the tree tops began to lift and float in an aerialgrayness I glanced at Marc, and his eyes met mine with a keen brightness that told me he was yet unwearied

Nevertheless I

cried: "Halt, and fall out for breakfast." And with the words I flung myself down by the brook, thrust my burningface into the babbling chill of it, and drank luxuriously Tamin was beside me in an instant; but Marc slakedhis thirst at more leisure, when he had well enjoyed watching our satisfaction

We lay for a little, till the sky was touched here and there with saffron and flying wisps of pink, and we began

to see the colour of grass and leaves Then we made our meal, a morsel each of the salt hake which I hadclung to through our flight, and some bits of Tamin's black bread This bread was wholesome, as I well knew,and to our hunger it was not unsavoury; but it was of a hardness which the sea-water had scarce availed tomitigate

As we ground hastily upon the meagre fare, I felt, rather than heard, a presence come behind me I turned myhead with a start, and at the same instant heard a high, plangent voice, close beside us, crying slowly:

"Woe, woe to Acadie the Fair, for the day of her desolation cometh."

It was an astonishing figure upon which my eyes fell, a figure which might have been grotesque, but was not.Instead of laughing, my heart thrilled with a kind of awe The man was not old, his frame was erect andstrong with manhood; but the long hair hanging about his neck was white, the long beard streaming upon hishalf-naked breast was white He wore leathern breeches, and the upper portion of his body was covered only

by a cloak of coarse woollen stuff, woven in a staring pattern of black and yellow On his head was a rimlesscap of plaited straw, with a high, pointed crown; and this was stuck full of gaudy flowers and feathers Fromthe point of the crown rose the stump of what had been, belike, a spray of goldenrod, broken by a hastyjourneying through the obstructions of the forest The man's eyes, of a wild and flaming blue, fixed

themselves on mine In one hand he carried a white stick, with a grotesque carven head, dyed scarlet, which

he pointed straight at me

"Do you lie down, like cows that chew the cud, when the wolves are on the trail?" demanded that plangentvoice

"It's Grûl!" cried Tamin, springing to his feet and thrusting a piece of black bread into the stranger's hand.But the offering was thrust aside, while those wide eyes flamed yet more wildly upon me

"They are on the trail, I tell you!" he repeated "I hear their feet even now! Go! Run! Fly!" and he stooped,with an ear toward the ground

"But which way should we fly?" I asked, half in doubt whether his warning should be heeded or derided Icould see that neither Marc nor Tamin had any such doubts They were on the strain to be off, and onlyawaited my word

"Go up the brook," said he, in a lower voice "The first small stream on your left hand, turn up that a littleway, and so for the wolves shall this time be balked But the black wolf's teeth bite deep They shall biteupon the throats of the people!" he continued, his voice rising keenly, his white staff, with its grinning scarlethead, waving in strange, intricate curves We were already off, making at almost full speed up the brook.Glancing back, I saw the fantastic form running to and fro over the ground where we had lain; and when thetrees hid him we heard those ominous words wailed slowly over and over with the reiterance of a tollingbell:

"Woe, woe for Acadie the Fair, for the day of her desolation cometh!"

"He'll throw them off the trail!" said Tamin, confidently.

"But how did they ever get on it?" queried Marc

"'Tis plain that they have seen or heard us as we passed the strip of beach!" said I, in deep vexation, for I hated

to be overreached by any one in woodcraft "If we outwit them now, it's no thanks to my tactics, but only tothat generous and astonishing madman You both seemed to know him Who, in the name of all the saints,might he be? What was it you called him, Tamin?"

"Grûl!" replied Tamin; and said no more, discreetly husbanding his wind But Marc spoke for him

"I have heard him called no other name but Grûl! Madman he is, at times, I think But sane for the most part,and with some touches of a wisdom beyond the wisdom of men The guise of madness he wears always; andthe Indians, as well as our own people, reverence him mightily It is nigh upon three years since he firstappeared in Acadie He hates the Black Abbé, who, they say, once did him some great mischief in someother land than this, and his strange ravings, his prodigious prophesyings, do something here and there toweaken the Abbé's influence with our people."

"Then how does he evade the good father's wrath?" I questioned, in wonder

"Oh," said Marc, "the good father hates him cordially enough But the Indians could not be persuaded, orbullied, or bribed, to lift a hand against him They say a Manitou dwells in him."

"Maybe they're not far wrong!" grunted Tamin

And now I, like Tamin, found it prudent to spare my wind But Marc, whose lungs seemed untiring, spokefrom time to time as he went, and told me certain incidents, now of Grûl's acuteness, now of his gift of

prophecy, now of his fantastic madness We came at length, after passing two small rivulets on the right, tothe stream on the left which Grûl had indicated It had a firm bed, wherein our footsteps left no trace, and weascended it for perhaps a mile, by many windings Then, with crafty care, we crept up from the stream, insuch a fashion as to leave no mark of our divergence if, as I thought not likely, our pursuers should come thatway After that we fetched a great circuit, crossed the parent brook, and shortly before noon judged that wemight account ourselves secure Where a tiny spring bubbled beneath a granite boulder and trickled awaynorth toward the Fundy shore, we stopped to munch black bread and the remnant of the fish We rested for anhour, Tamin and I sleeping, while Marc, who protested that he felt no motion toward slumber, kept watch.When he roused us, we set off pleasantly refreshed, our faces toward Shulie

Till late that night we journeyed, having a clear moon to guide us Coming at length to the edge of a smalllake set with islands, "Here," said I, "is the place where we may sleep secure!"

We stripped, took our bundles on our heads, and swam out into the shining stillness We swam past two islets,and landed upon one which caught my fancy There we lay down in a bed of sweet-smelling fern, and werewell content As we supped on Tamin's good black bread, two loons laughed to each other out on the silversurface We saw their black, watchful heads, moving slowly Then we slept It was high day when we awoke.The bread was now scarce, so we husbanded it, and made such good speed all day that while it wanted yetsome hours of sunset we came out upon a bluff's edge and saw below us the wash and roll of Fundy We weresome way west of Shulie, but not far, Tamin said, from the house of his good friend with the good boat

To this house we came within the hour It was a small, home-like cabin, among apple trees, in a slant clearingthat overhung a narrow creek There, by a little jetty, I rejoiced to see the boat The man of the house, oneBeaudry, was in the woods looking for his cow, but the goodwife made us welcome When Beaudry came in

he and Tamin fell on each other's necks And I found, too, that the name of Jean de Briart, with something of

his poor exploits, was not all unknown in the cabin.

How well we supped that night, on fresh shad well broiled, and fresh sweet barley bread, and thin brownbuckwheat cakes! It was settled at once that Beaudry should put us over to de Ramezay's camp with the first

of the morrow's tide Then, over our pipes, sitting under the apple tree by the porch, we told our late

adventures I say we, but Tamin told them, and gave them a droll colouring which delighted me It must havetickled Marc's fancy, too, for I took note that he let his pipe out many times during the story Beaudry keptcrying "Hein!" and "Bien!" and "Tiens!" in an ecstasy of admiration The goodwife, however, was seeminglymost touched by the loss of Tamin's knitted cap With a face of great concern, as who should say "Poor soul!"she jumped up, ran into the house, was gone a few moments, and returned beaming benevolence

"V'la!" she cried; and stuck upon Tamin's wiry black head a bran-new cap of red wool

Chapter VII

The Commander is Embarrassed

Next day we set out at a good hour, and came without further adventure to Chignecto Having landed, amid alittle swarm of fishing-boats, we then went straight to de Ramezay's headquarters, leaving Beaudry at thewharf among his cronies We crossed a strip of dyked marsh, whereon were many sleek Acadian cattle

cropping the rich aftermath, and ascended the gentle slope of the uplands Amid a few scattered cabins wereranged the tents of the soldiers Camp fires and sheaves of stacked muskets gave the bright scene a warlikecountenance Higher up the hill stood a white cottage, larger than the rest, its door painted red, with greenpanels; and from a staff on its gable, blown out bravely by the wind which ever sweeps those Fundy

marshlands, flapped the white banner with the Lilies of France

The sentry who challenged us at the foot of the slope knew me, had once fought under me in a border

skirmish, and, saluting with great respect, summoned a guard to conduct us to headquarters As we climbedthe last dusty rise and turned in, past the long well-sweep and two gaunt, steeple-like Lombardy poplars, tothe yard before the cottage, the door opened and the commander himself stood before us His face lit up gladly

as I stepped forward to greet him, and with great warmth he sprang to embrace me

"My dear Briart!" he cried "I have long expected you!"

"I am but just returned to Acadie, my dear friend," said I, with no less warmth than he had evinced, "or youwould surely have seen me here to greet you on your coming But the King's service kept me on the

Richelieu!"

"And even your restless activity, my Jean, cannot put you in two places at once," said he, as he turned with anair of courteous inquiry to my companions Perceiving at once by his dress that Tamin was a habitant, his eyesrested upon Marc

"My son Marc, Monsieur de Ramezay," said I

The two bowed, Marc very respectfully, as became a young man on presentation to a distinguished officer, but

de Ramezay with a sudden and most noticeable coldness At this I flushed with anger, but the moment was notone for explanations I restrained myself; and turning to Tamin, I said in an altered tone:

"And this, de Ramezay, is my good friend and faithful follower, Tamin Violet, of Canard parish, who desires

to enlist for service under you More of him, and all to his credit, I will tell you by and by I merely commendhim to you now as brave, capable, and a good shot!"

"I have ever need of such!" said de Ramezay, quickly "As you recommend him, he shall serve in Monsieur deVille d'Avray's company, which forms my own guard."

Summoning an orderly, he gave directions to this effect As Tamin turned to depart with the orderly, bothMarc and I stepped up to him and wrung his hands, and thanked him many times for the courage and craftwhich had saved Marc's life as well as the honour of our family

"We'll see you again to-night or in the morning, my Tamin," said Marc

"And tell you how goes my talk with the commander," added I, quietly

"And for the boat we wrecked," continued Marc, "why, of course, we won't remain in your debt for a smallthing like that; though for the great matter, and for your love, we are always your debtors gladly!"

"And in the King's uniform," said I, cutting short Tamin's attempted protestations, "even the Black Abbé willnot try to molest you."

I turned again to de Ramezay, who was waiting a few paces aside, and said, with a courtesy that was

something formal after the warmth of our first

greeting: "Your pardon, de Ramezay! But Tamin has gone through much with us and for us And now, my son and Iwould crave an undisturbed conversation with you."

At once, and without a word, he conducted us into his private room, where he invited us to be seated As wecomplied, he himself remained standing, with every sign of embarrassment in his frank and fearless

countenance I had ever liked him well Good cause to like him, indeed, I had in my heart, for I had oncestood over his body in a frontier skirmish, and saved his scalp from the knives of the Onondagas But now myanger was hot against him, for it was plain to me that he had lent ear to some slanders against Marc For asecond or two there was a silence, then Marc sprang to his feet

"Perhaps if I stand," said he, coldly, "Monsieur de Ramezay will do us the honour of sitting."

De Ramezay's erect figure a very soldierly and imposing figure it was in its uniform of white and

gold straightened itself haughtily for an instant Then he began, but with a stammering

tongue: "I bitterly regret it grieves me, it pains me to even hint it, " and he kept his eyes upon the floor as hespoke, "but your son, my dear friend, is accused "

Here I broke in upon him, springing to my feet

"Stop!" said I, sternly

He looked at me with a face of sorrowful inquiry, into which a tinge of anger rose slowly

"Remember," I continued, "that whatever accusation or imputation you make now, I shall require you to provebeyond a peradventure, or to make good with your sword against mine! My son is the victim of a vile

conspiracy He is "

"Then he is loyal, you say, to France?" interrupted de Ramezay, eagerly.

"I say," said I, in a voice of steel, "that he has done nothing that his father, a soldier of France, should blush totell, nothing that an honest gentleman should not do." My voice softened a little as I noticed the change in his

countenance "And oh, Ramezay," I continued, "had any man an hour ago told me that you would condemn a

son of mine unheard, that you, on the mere word of a false priest or his wretched tools, would have believedthat a son of Jean de Mer could be a traitor, I would have driven the words down his throat for a black lie, aslander on my friend!"

De Ramezay was silent for a moment, his eyes fixed upon the floor Then he lifted his head

"I was wrong Forgive me, my friend!" said he, very simply "I see clearly that I ought to have held the teller

of those tales in suspicion, knowing of him what I do know And now, since you give me your word the talesare false, they are false Pardon me, I beg of you, Monsieur!" he added, turning to Marc and holding out hishand

Marc bowed very low, but appeared not to see the hand

"If you have heard, Monsieur de Ramezay," said he, "that, before it was made plain that France would seek torecover Acadie out of English hands, I, a mere boy, urged my fellow Acadians to accept the rule in goodfaith; if you have heard that I then urged them not to be misled to their own undoing by an unscrupulous andmerciless intriguer who disgraces his priestly office; if you have heard that, since then, I have cursed bitterlythe corruption at Quebec which is threatening New France with instant ruin, you have heard but truly!"

De Ramezay bit his lips and flushed slightly Marc was not making the situation easier; but I could scarceblame him Our host, however, motioned us to our seats, taking his own chair immediately that he saw usseated For my own part, my anger was quite assuaged I hastened to clear the atmosphere

"Let me tell you the whole story, Ramezay," said I, "and you will understand But first let me say that my son

is wholly devoted to the cause of France His former friendly intercourse with the English, a boyish matter, hebrought to an utter end when the war came this way."

"And let me say," interrupted de Ramezay, manfully striving to amend his error, "that when one whom I neednot name was filling my ear with matter not creditable to a young man named Marc de Mer, it did not come atall to my mind and can you wonder? that the person so spoken of was a son of my Briart, of the man whohad so perilled his own life to save mine! I thought your son was but a child It was thus that the accusationswere allowed to stick in my mind, which I do most heartily repent of! And for which I again crave pardon!"

"I beg of you, Monsieur, that you will think no more of it!" said Marc, heartily, being by this quite appeased.Then with some particularity I told our story, not omitting Marc's visit to his little Puritan at Annapolis,whereat de Ramezay smiled, and seemed to understand something which had before been dark to him Whenthe Black Abbé came upon the scene (I had none of our host's reluctance to mention the Abbé's name!) deRamezay's brows gathered gloomily But he heard the tale through with breathless attention up to the point ofour landing at Chignecto

"And now, right glad am I that you are here," he exclaimed, stretching out a hand to each of us The frankwelcome that illuminated the strong lines of his face left no more shadow of anger in our hearts

"And here are the Abbé's precious documents!" said I, fetching forth the packet

De Ramezay examined both letters with the utmost care

"The reward," he said presently, with a dry smile, "is on a scale that savours of Quebec rather more than ofthrifty New England When Boston holds the purse-strings, information is bought cheaper than that! As forthe signature, it is passable But I fear it would scarce satisfy Master Apthorp!"

"I thought as much," said I, "though I have seen Mascarene's signature but once."

De Ramezay fingered the paper, and held it up to the light

"But a point which will interest you particularly, Monsieur," he continued, addressing Marc, "is the fact thatthis paper was made in France!"

"It is gratifying to know that, Monsieur!" replied Marc, with his vanishing smile

"It would be embarrassing to some people," said de Ramezay, "if they knew we were aware of it But I maysay here frankly that they must not know it You will readily understand that my hands are something lessthan free As things go now at Quebec, there are methods used which I cannot look upon with favour, andwhich I must therefore seem not to see I am forced to use the tools which are placed in my hands This priest

of whom you speak is a power in Acadie He is thought to be indispensable to our cause He will do the thingsthat, alas, have to be done, but which no one else will do And I believe he does love France, he is surelysincere in that But he rests very heavily, methinks, on the conscience of his good bishop at Quebec, who, butfor the powers that interfere, would call him to a sharp account I tell you all this so that you will see why Imust not charge the Abbé with this villany of his I am compelled to seem ignorant of it."

I assured him that I apprehended the straits in which he found himself, and would be content if he wouldmerely give the Abbé to understand that Marc was not to be meddled with

"Of course," said Marc, at this point, "I wish to enter active service, with Father; and I shall therefore be, forthe most part, beyond the good Abbé's reach But we have business at Grand Pré and Canard that will hold usthere a week or thereabouts; and it is annoying to walk in the hourly peril of being tomahawked and scalpedfor a spy!"

"I'll undertake to secure you in this regard," laughed de Ramezay; "and in return, perchance I may count onyour support when I move against Annapolis, as my purpose is to do ere many weeks!"

"Assuredly!" said Marc, "if my father have made for me no other plans!" And he turned to me for my word inthe matter

As it chanced, this was exactly as I had purposed, which I made at once to appear It was presently agreed,therefore, that we should tarry some days at Chignecto, returning thereafter to despatch our affairs at homeand await de Ramezay's summons As the Commander's guests we were lodged in his own quarters, andTamin was detailed to act as our orderly The good Beaudry, with his good boat, was sent home not

empty-handed to his goodwife near Shulie, with instructions to come again for us in five days And Tamin,having now no more need of it, sent back to Madame Beaudry, with best compliments, her knitted cap of redwool

Chapter VIII

The Black Abbé Comes to Dinner

Of the pleasant but something irrelevant matter of how merrily we supped that night with de Ramezay and hisofficers, many of whom I knew, all of whom knew me or my adventurous repute, I will not linger to

discourse Nor of the costly dainties from France which enriched the board, side by side with fair salmon fromthe Tantramar and bursting-fat plover from the Joli-Coeur marshes Nor of the good red wine of Burgundywhich so enhanced the relish of those delectable birds, and of which I might perhaps have drunk moresparingly had good Providence but made me more abstemious Let it suffice to say, there was wit enough tospice plainer fare, and courtesy that had shone at Versailles The long bare room, with its low, black-rafteredceiling and polished floor, its dark walls patterned with shelves, was lit by the smoky flames of two-scoretallow candles

By and by chairs were pushed back, the company sat with less ceremony, the air grew clouded with the bluevapours of the Virginia weed, and tongues wagged something more loosely than before There were

songs, catches from the banks of Rhone, rolling ballads of our own voyageurs A young captain quite latelyfrom Versailles, the Sieur de Ville d'Avray, had an excellent gift of singing

But now, just when the Sieur de Ville d'Avray was rendering, with most commendable taste and spirit, theballade of "Frère Lubin," there came an interruption

"Il presche en theologien, Mais pour boire de belle eau claire, Faictes la boire a vostre chien, Frère Lubin ne lepeult faire,"

sang the gay voice, we all nodding our heads in intent approval, or even, maybe, seeing that the wine wasgenerous, tapping the measure openly with our fingers But suddenly, though there was no noise to drawthem, all eyes turned to the doorway, and the singer paused in his song I tipped my chair back into the

shadow of a shelf, as did Marc, who sat a little beyond me For the visitor, who thus boldly entered

unannounced, was none other than the Black Abbé himself

[Illustration: For the visitor was none other than the Black Abbé himself.]

I flung de Ramezay a swift glance of anticipation, which he caught as he arose in his place to greet the

new-comer On the faces around the table I took note of an ill-disguised annoyance The Abbé, it was plain,found small favour in that company But to do him justice, he seemed but little careful to court favour Hestood in the doorway, frowning, a piercing and bitter light in his close-set eyes He waited for de Ramezay tocome forward and give him welcome, which de Ramezay presently did, and would have led him to a seat atthe table

But "No!" said the grim intruder "With all thanks for your courtesy, Monsieur, I have no time, nor am I in thetemper, for revellings When I have said my word to you I will get me to the house of one of my flock, andsup plainly, and take what rest I may, for at dawn I must set out for the Shubenacadie There is much to bedone, and few to do it, and the time grows short!" and he swept a look of reprimand about the circle

"Would you speak with me in private, Father?" asked de Ramezay, with great civility

"It is not necessary, Monsieur!" replied the Abbé "I have but to say that I arrested the pestilent young traitor,Marc de Mer, on his father's estate at Canard, and left him under guard while I went to attend to other

business I found upon his person clear proofs of his treachery, which would have justified his hanging on theinstant But I preferred that you should be the judge!"

"You did well!" said de Ramezay, gravely "I must ask even you, Monsieur l'Abbé, to remember on all

occasions that I, and I only, am the judge, so long as I remain in Acadie!"

To this rebuke, courteous though it was, the priest vouchsafed no reply but a slight smile, which uncovered hisstrong yellow teeth on one side, like a snarl He continued his report as if there had been no interruption

"In my brief absence his father, with some disaffected habitants, deceived my faithful followers by a trick, andcarried off the prisoner But I have despatched a strong party on the trail of the fugitives They will certainly

be captured, and brought at once "

But at this point his voice failed him His face worked violently with mingled rage and amazement, andfollowing his gaze I saw Marc standing and bowing with elaborate courtesy

"They are already here, Sir Abbé," said he, "having made haste that they might give you welcome!"

A ripple of laughter went around the table, as the company, recovering from some moments of astonishment,began to understand the situation I, too, rose to my feet, smiling expectantly The priest's narrow eyes metmine for a second, with a light that was akin to madness Then they shifted But he found his voice again

"I denounce that man as a proved spy and traitor!" he shouted, striding forward, and pointing a yellow finger

of denunciation across the table at Marc, while the revellers over whom he leaned made way for him

resentfully "I demand his instant arrest."

"Gently, Monsieur l'Abbé," said de Ramezay "These are serious charges to bring against French gentlemen,and friends of the Commander; have you proofs such as will convince me after the closest scrutiny?" headded, with unmistakable significance

"I have myself seen the proofs, I tell you," snarled the Abbé, beginning to exert more self-control, but still farunlike the cool, inexorable, smiling cynic who had so galled my soul with his imperturbability when I lay inhis bonds beside the Forge

"I would fain see them, too," insisted de Ramezay

The priest glared at me, and then at Marc, baffled

"I have them not," said he, in his slow and biting tones; "but if you would do your duty as the King's servant,Monsieur de Ramezay, and arrest yonder spy, you would doubtless find the proofs upon his person, if he hasnot taken the pains to dispose of them." Upon this insolent speech, de Ramezay took his seat, and left thepriest standing alone When, after a pause, he spoke, his voice was stern and masterful, as if he were

addressing a contumacious servant, though he retained the forms of courtesy in his phrases

"Monsieur," said he, "when I wish to learn my duty, it will not be the somewhat well-known Abbé la Garnewhom I will ask to teach me I must require you not to presume further upon the sacredness of your office.Your soutane saves you from being called to account by the gentleman whose honour you have aspersed.Monsieur Marc de Mer is the son of my friend He is also one of my aides-de-camp I beg that you willunderstand me without more words when I say that I have examined the whole matter to which you refer Foryour own credit, press it no further I trust you catch my meaning!"

"On the contrary," said the Abbé, coolly, being by this time quite himself again, and seemingly indifferent tothe derisive faces confronting him "on the contrary, your meaning altogether escapes me, Monsieur All that

I understand of your singular behaviour is what the Governor and the Intendant, not I their unworthy

instrument, will be called to pass judgment upon."

"I will trouble you to understand also, Sir Priest," said de Ramezay, thoroughly aroused, his tones biting likeacid, "that if this young man is further troubled by any of your faithful Shubenacadie flock, I will hold youresponsible; and the fact that you are useful, having fewer scruples than trouble a mere layman, shall not saveyou."

"Be not disturbed for your spy, Monsieur," sneered the Abbé, now finely tranquil "I wash my hands of allresponsibility in regard to him; look you to that."

For the space of some seconds there was silence all about that table of feasting, while the Abbé swept asmiling, bitter glance around the room Last, his eyes rested upon mine and leaped with a sudden light oftriumph, so that one might have thought not he but I had been worsted in the present encounter Then heturned on his heel and went out, scornful of courtesy

A clamour of talk arose upon this most cherished departure; but I heard it as in a dream, being wrapped up inwonder as to the meaning of that look of triumph

"Has the Black Abbé cast a spell upon you, Father?" I heard Marc inquiring presently Whereupon I came tomyself with a kind of start, and made merry with the rest of them

It was late when Marc and I went to the little chamber where our pallets were stretched There we foundTamin awaiting us He was in a sweat of fear

"What is it, my Tamin?" asked Marc

"The Black Abbé," he grunted, the drollness all chased out of the little wrinkles about his eyes

"Well," said I, impatiently "The Black Abbé; and what of him? He is repenting to-night that he ever triedconclusions with me, I'll wager."

I spoke the more confidently because in my heart I was still troubled to know the meaning of the Abbé'sglance

"Hein," said Tamin "He looked his eyes would lift a scalp! I was standing in the light just under the window,when of a sudden the door closed; and there he stood beside me, with no sound, and still as a heron Helooked at me with those two narrow eyes, as if he would eat my heart out: and I stood there, and shook Then,

of a sudden, his face changed It became like a good priest's face when he says the prayer for the soul that ispassing; and he looked at me with solemn eyes And I was yet more afraid 'It is not for me to rebuke you,' hesaid, speaking so that each word seemed an hour long; 'red runs your blood on the deep snow beneath theapple tree.' And before I could steady my teeth to ask him what he meant, he was gone 'Red runs your bloodbeneath the apple tree.' What did he mean by that?"

"Oh," said I, speaking lightly to encourage him, though in truth the words fell on me with a chill, "he said it tospoil your sleep and poison your content It was a cunning revenge, seeing that he dare not lift a hand topunish you otherwise."

"To be sure, my Tamin, that is all of it," added Marc "Who has ever heard that the Black Abbé was a

prophet? Faith, 'tis as Father says, a cunning and a devilish revenge But you can balk it finely by paying noheed to it."

Tamin's face had brightened mightily, but he still looked serious

"Do you think so?" he exclaimed with eagerness "'Tis as you say indeed, the Black Abbé is no prophet Had

it been Grûl, now, that said it, there were something to lie awake for, eh?"

"Yes, indeed, if Grûl had said it," muttered Marc, contemplating him strangely

But for me, I was something impatient now to be asleep

"Think no more of it, my friend," said I, and dismissed him Yet sleepy as I was, I thought of it, and even Imust have begun to dream of it The white sheet of moonlight that lay across my couch became a drift of snowwith blood upon it, and the patterned shadow upon the wall an apparition leaning over, when out of animmense distance, as it were, I heard Marc's voice

"Father," he cried softly, "are you awake?"

"Yes, dear lad," said I "What is it?"

"I have been wondering," said he, "why the Black Abbé looked at you, not me, in his going He had such acountenance as warns me that he purposes some cunning stroke But I fear his enmity has turned from me toyou."

"Well, lad, it was surely I that balked him What would you have?" I asked

"Oh," said he, heavily, "that I should have turned that bloodhound onto your trail!"

"Marc, if it will comfort you to know it, carry this in your memory," said I, with a cheerful lightness, like frothupon the strong emotion that flooded my heart "When the Black Abbé strikes at me, it will be through you

He knows where I am like to prove most vulnerable!"

"'Tis all right, then, so as we sink or swim together, Father," said Marc, quietly

"That's the way of it now, dear lad! Sweet sleep to you, and dreams of red hair!" said I And I turned my facedrowsily to the wall

Chapter IX

The Abbé Strikes Again

The few days of our stay at Chignecto were gay and busy ones; and all through them hummed the windsteadily across the pale green marshes, and buffeted the golden-rod on our high shoulder of upland De

Ramezay gratified me by making much of Marc The three of us rode daily abroad among the surroundingsettlements And I spent many hours planning with de Ramezay a fort which should be built on the site of thiscamp, in case the coming campaign should fail to drive the English out of Acadie De Ramezay, as was everhis wont, was full of confidence in the event But of the sorry doings at Quebec, of the plundering hands uponthe public purse, of the shamelessness in high places, he hinted to me so broadly that I began to see muchground for Marc's misgivings And my heart cried out for my fair country of New France

On the fifth day of our stay, it was a Wednesday, and very early in the morning, the good Beaudry with hisgood boat came for us The tide serving at about two hours after sunrise, we set out then for Grand Pré, wellcontent with the jade Fortune whose whims had so far favoured us De Ramezay and his officers were at thewharf-end to bid us God-speed; and as I muse upon it now they may have thought curiously of it to see theloving fashion in which both Marc and I made a point to embrace our faithful Tamin But that is neither herenor there, so long as we let him plainly understand how our hearts were towards him

The voyage home was uneventful, save that we met contrary winds, whereby it fell that not until evening ofthe second day did we come into the Gaspereau mouth and mark the maids of Grand Pré carrying water fromthe village well

The good Beaudry we paid to his satisfaction, and left to find lodging in one of the small houses by the waterside; while Marc and I took our way up the long street with its white houses standing amid their apple trees.Having gone perhaps four or five furlongs, returning many a respectful salutation from the doorways as wepassed, we then turned up the hill by a little lane which was bordered stiffly with the poplar trees of

Lombardy, and in short space we came to a pleasant cottage in a garden, under shadow of the tall whitechurch which stood sentinel over the Grand Pré roofs The cottage had some apple trees behind it, and manylate roses blooming in the garden It was the home of the good Curé, Father Fafard, most faithful and mostgentle of priests

With Father Fafard we lodged that night, and for some days thereafter The Curé's round face grew

unwontedly stern and anxious as we told him our adventures, and rehearsed the doings of the Black Abbé Hegot up from time to time and paced the room, muttering once "Alas that such a man should discredit our holyoffice! What wrath may he not bring down upon this land!" and more to a like purport

My own house in Grand Pré, where Marc had inhabited of late, and where I was wont to pay my flitting visits,

I judged well to put off my hands for the present, foreseeing that troublous times were nigh I transferred it inFather Fafard's presence to a trusty villager by name Marquette, whom I could count upon to transfer it back

to me as soon as the skies should clear again I knew that if, by any fortune of war, English troops shouldcome to be quartered in Grand Pré, they would be careful for the property of the villagers; but the house andgoods of an enemy under arms, such would belike fare ill I collected, also, certain moneys due me in thevillage, for I knew that the people were prosperous, and I did not know how long their prosperity mightcontinue This done, Marc and I set out for my own estate beside the yellow Canard There I had rents togather in, but no house to put off my hands At the time when Acadie was ceded to England, a generationback, the house of the de Mers had been handed over to one of the most prosperous of our habitants, and withthat same family it had ever since remained, yielding indeed a preposterously scant rental, but untroubled bythe patient conqueror

My immediate destination was the Forge, where I expected to find Babin awaiting me with news and

messages At the Forge, too, I would receive payment from my tenants, and settle certain points which, as Ihad heard, were at dispute amongst them

As we drew near the Forge, through the pleasant autumn woods, it wanted about an hour of noon I heard, faroff, the muffled thunder of a cock-partridge drumming But there was no sound of hammer on clanging anvil,

no smoke rising from the wide Forge chimney; and when we entered, the ashes were dead cold It was plainthere had been no fire in the forge that day

"Where can Babin be?" I muttered in vexation "If he got my message, there can be no excuse for his

"What, in the name of all the saints, is this?" I exclaimed, drawing out a short piece of peeled stick A portion

of the stick was cut down to a flat surface, and on this was drawn with charcoal a straight line, having anotherstraight line perpendicular to it, and bisecting it At the top of the perpendicular was a figure of the sun, thus:

* |

+ "It's a message from Grûl," said Marc, the instant that his eyes fell upon it

"H'm; and how do you know that?" said I, turning it over curiously in my fingers

"Well," replied Marc, "the peeled stick is Grill's sign manual What does he say?"

"He seems to say that he is going to build a windmill," said I, with great seriousness; "but doubtless you willgive this hieroglyphic quite a different interpretation."

Marc laughed, yes, laughed audibly And it is possible that his Penobscot grandmother turned in her grave It

was good to know that the lad could laugh, which I had begun to doubt; but it was puzzling to me to hear him

laugh at the mere absurdity which I had just uttered, when my most polished witticisms, of which I had shotoff many of late at Chignecto, and in conversation with good Father Fafard, had never availed to bring morethan a phantom smile to his lips However, I made no comment, but handed him "Grûl's sign manual," as hechose to call it

"Why, Father," said he, "you understand it well enough, I know This is plainly the sun at high noon At highnoon, therefore, we may surely expect to see Grûl He has been here but a short time back; for see, the wood isnot yet dry."

"Sapristi!" said I, "do you call that the sun, lad? It is very much like a windmill."

How Marc might have retorted upon me, I know not; for at the moment, though it yet wanted much of noon,the fantastic figure of the madman if he were a madman sped into the Forge He stopped abruptly before usand scrutinized us for some few seconds in utter silence, his eyes glittering and piercing like sword points Hislong white hair and beard were disordered with haste, the flowers and feathers in his pointed cap were for the

most part broken, even as when we had last seen him, and his gaudy mantle was somewhat befouled withriver mud Yet such power was there in his look and in his gesture, that when he stretched out his little whitestaff toward me and said "Come," I had much ado to keep from obeying him without question Yet this Iwould not permit myself, as was natural.

"Whither?" I questioned "And for what purpose?"

By this time he was out at the door, but he stopped Giving me a glance of scorn he turned to Marc, andstretched out his staff

"Come," he said And in a breath he was gone, springing with incredible swiftness and smoothness throughthe underbrush

"We must follow, Father!" cried Marc; and in the same instant was away

For my own part, it was sorely against me to be led by the nose, and thus blindly, by the madman whom Inow declared certainly to be mad But Marc had gone, so I had no choice, as I conceived it, but to stand by thelad I went too And seeing that I had to do it, I did it well, and presently overtook them

"What is this folly?" I asked angrily, panting a little, I confess

But Marc signed to me to be silent I obeyed, though with ill enough grace, and ran on till my mouth was like

a board, my tongue like wool Then the grim light of the forest whitened suddenly before us, and our guidestopped Instinctively we imitated his motions, as he stole forward and peered through a screen of leafage Wewere on a bank overlooking the Canard A little below, and paddling swiftly towards the river-mouth, weretwo canoes manned with the Abbé's Micmacs In the bottom of one canoe lay a little fair-haired boy, bound

"My God!" cried Marc, under his breath, "'tis the child! 'tis little Philip Hanford."

Grûl turned his wild eyes upon us

"The power of the dog!" he muttered, "the power of the dog!"

"We must get a canoe and follow them!" exclaimed Marc, in great agitation, turning to go, and looking at mewith passionate appeal But before I could speak, to assure him of my aid and support, Grûl interfered

"Wait!" he said, with meaning emphasis, thrusting his little staff almost in the lad's face "Come!" and hestarted up along the river bank, going swiftly but with noiseless caution I expected Marc to demur, but not so

He evidently had a childlike faith in this fantastic being He followed without a protest Needless to say, Ifollowed also But all this mystery, and this blind obedience, and this lordly lack of explanation, were little to

my liking

We had not gone above half a mile when Grûl stopped, and bent his mad head to listen Such an attitude oflistening I had never seen before The feathers and stalks in his cap seemed to lean forward like a horse's ears;his hair and beard took on a like inclination of intentness; even the grim little scarlet head upon his staffseemed to listen with its master And Marc did as Grûl did Then came a sound as of a woman weeping, veryclose at hand Grûl motioned us to pass him, and creep forward We did so, lying down and moving as softly

as lizards But I turned to see what our mysterious guide was doing and lo, he was gone He might havefaded into a summer exhalation, so complete and silent was his exit

This was too much Only my experience as a woods-fighter, my instinctive caution, kept me from springing to

my feet and calling him But my suspicions were all on fire I laid a firm hand of detention on Marc's arm, and

whispered: "He's gone; 'tis a trap."

Marc looked at me in some wonder, and more impatience

"No trap, Father; that's Grûl's way,"

"Well," I whispered, "we had better go another way, I'm thinking."

As I spoke, the woman's weeping came to us more distinctly Something in the sound seemed to catch Marc'sheart, and his face changed

"'Tis all right, I tell you, Father!" came from between his teeth "Come! come! Oh, I know the voice!" And hecrept forward resolutely

And, of course, I followed

Chapter X

A Bit of White Petticoat

We had not advanced above a score of paces when, peering stealthily between the stems of herbs and

underbrush, we saw what Grûl had desired us to see Two more canoes were drawn up at the water's edge.Four savages were in sight, sprawling in indolent attitudes under the shade of a wide water-maple In theirmidst, at the foot of the tree, lay a woman bound securely She was huddled together in a posture of hopelessdespair; and a dishevelled glory of gold-red tresses fell over her face to hide it She lay in a moveless silence.Yet the sound of weeping continued, and Marc, gripping my hand fiercely, set his mouth to my ear andgasped:

"'Tis my own maid! 'Tis Prudence!"

Then I saw where she sat, a little apart, a slender maid with a lily face, and hair glowing dark red in the fullsun that streamed upon her She was so tied to another tree that she might have no comfort or companionship

of her sister, for I needed now no telling to convey it to me that the lady with the hidden face and the

unweeping anguish was Mistress Mizpah Hanford, mother of the child whom I had just seen carried away

I grieved for Marc, whose eyes stared out upon the weeping maid from a face that had fallen to the hue ofashes But I praised the saints for sending to our aid this madman Grûl, whom, in my heart, I now graciouslyabsolved from the charge of madness Seeing the Black Abbé's hand in the ravishment of these tender victims,

I made no doubt to cross him yet again, and my heart rose exultantly to the enterprise

"Cheer up, lad," I whispered to Marc "Come away a little till we plot."

I showed my confidence in my face, and I could see that he straightway took heart thereat Falling back softlyfor a space of several rods, we paused in a thicket to take counsel As soon as we could speak freely, Marcexclaimed, "They may go at any moment, Father We must haste."

"No," said I, "they'll not go till the cool of the day The others went because they have plainly been ordered topart the child from his mother It is a most cunning and most cruel malice that could so order it."

"It is my enemy's thrust at me," said Marc "How did he know that I loved the maid?"

"His eyes are in every corner of Acadie," said I; "but we will foil him in this as in other matters Marc, myheart is stirred mightily by that poor mother's pain I tell you, lad," and I looked diligently to the priming of

my pistols as I spoke, "I tell you I will not rest till I give the little one back into her arms."

But Marc, as was not unnatural, thought now rather of his lily maid sobbing under the tree

"Yes, Father," said he, "but what is to be done now, to save Prudence and Mizpah?"

"Of course, dear lad," I answered, smilingly, "that is just what we are here for But let me consider." Andsitting down upon a fallen tree, I buried my face in my hands Marc, the while, waited with what patience hecould muster, relying wholly upon my conduct of the business, but fretting for instant action

We were well armed (each with a brace of pistols and a broadsword, the forest being no place for rapiers), and

I accounted that we were an overmatch for the four redskins But there was much at stake, with always thechance of accident And, moreover, these Indians were allies of France, wherefore I was most unwilling toattack them from the advantage of an ambush These various considerations decided me

"Marc, we'll fight them if needful," said I, lifting up my head "But I'm going to try first the conclusions ofpeace I will endeavour to ransom the prisoners These Micmacs are mightily avaricious, and may yield Itgoes against me to attack them from an ambush, seeing that they are of our party and servants of King Louis."

At this speech Marc looked very ill content

"But, Father," he objected, "shall we forego the advantage of a surprise? We are but two to their four, and weput the whole issue at hazard And as for their being of our party, they bring shame upon our party, andgreatly dishonour the service of King Louis."

"Nevertheless, dear lad," said I, "they have their claim upon us, not lightly to be overlooked, in my view of it.But hear my plan You will go back to where we lay a moment ago, and there be ready with your pistols Iwill approach openly by the water side and enter into parley with them If I can buy the captives, well andgood If they deny me, we quarrel You will know when to play your part I am satisfied of that I shall feelsafe under cover of your pistols, and shall depend upon you to account for two of the four Only, do not be toohasty!"

"Oh, I'm cool as steel now, Father," said Marc "But I like not this plan The danger is all yours And thequarrel is mine Let us go into it side by side!"

"Chut, lad!" said I "Your quarrel's my quarrel, and the danger is not more for me than for you, as you won't

be long away from me when the fight begins, if it comes to a fight And further, my plan is both an honestone and like to succeed Come, let us be doing!"

Marc seized my hand, and gave me a look of pride and love which put a glow at my heart "You know best,Father," said he And turning away, he crept toward his post For me, I made a circuit, in leisurely fashion, andcame out upon the shore behind a point some rods below the spot where the savages lay Then I walked boldly

up along the water's edge

The Indians heard me before I came in view, and were on their feet when I appeared around the point Theyregarded me with black suspicion, but no hostile movement, as I strode straight up to them and greeted, fairlyenough but coldly, a tall warrior, whom I knew to be one of the Black Abbé's lieutenants He grunted, andasked me who I was

"You know well enough who I am," said I, seating myself carelessly upon a rock, "seeing that you had a chiefhand in the outrages put upon me the other day by that rascally priest of yours!"

At this the chief stepped up to me with an air of menace, his high-cheeked, coppery face scowling with wrath.But I eyed him steadily, and raised my hand with a little gesture of authority "Wait!" said I; and he pauseddoubtfully "I have no grudge against you for that," I went on "You but obeyed your master's orders

faithfully, as you will doubtless obey mine a few weeks hence, when I take command of your rabble and try tomake you of some real service to the King I am one of the King's captains."

At this the savage looked puzzled, while his fellows grunted in manifest uncertainty

"What you want?" he asked bluntly

I looked at him for some moments without replying Then I glanced at the form of Mizpah Hanford, stillunmoving, the face still hidden under that pathetic splendour of loosened hair Prudence I could not catchview of, by reason of another tree which intervened But the sound of her weeping had ceased

"I am ready to ransom these prisoners of yours," said I